Dom Luís Bridge

The Dom Luís 1st Bridge is an arch bridge that spans the Douro River between the cities of Porto and Vila Nova de Gaia. At the time of construction its span of 172 m was the longest of its type in the world.

Dom Luis I bridge

Carries                                              Light rail (tramway) bridge / metro rail bridge Road bridge

Crosses                                             Douro River

Locale                                               Porto to Vila Nova de Gaia

Design                                              Two-hinged double-deck arch bridge

Total length                                     385.25 metres (1,263.9 ft)

Height                                              44.6 metres (146 ft)

Longest span                                    172 metres (560 ft)

Beginning date of construction       1881

Completion date                              1886

Opening date                                   1886-10-31

The Government held a competition for the construction of a metallic bridge on the Douro River on a site that was adjacent to an existing bridge and would replace it. Teófilo Seyrig had already engineered the D. Maria Pia Bridge project, whilst working as a partner of Eiffel. He now took sole responsibility for the new, major Luis 1st Bridge. The construction was begun in 1881 and the bridge opened on 1886-10-31.